ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: February 7, 1996
Dept. File No. FW
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: Director of City Plans
SUBJECT: Approval of Business Improvement Area (BIA) Budgets
RECOMMENDATIONS
A. THAT Council approve the BIA Business Promotion Schemes and
Budgets for the 1996-1997 year listed below and instruct staff
to bring forward the appropriate rating by-laws:
BIA LEVY
Downtown $500,000
Robson 244,000
Kerrisdale 129,000
Mount Pleasant 84,000
Gastown 247,000
B. THAT Council instruct staff to bring forward a recoverable
grant allocation by-law for Robson Street BIA, stipulating a
funding ceiling of $1,292,500 for the term 1996-2001.
C. THAT Council instruct staff to bring forward a recoverable
grant allocation by-law for the Kerrisdale BIA, stipulating a
funding ceiling of $669,000 for 1996-2001.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of A,
B and C.
COUNCIL POLICY
Each fall BIA Boards are required to obtain approval of their
forthcoming year's promotion plan and budget from their members at a
general meeting and from City Council.
After five years the by-law governing each BIA must be renewed.
Council's policy for BIA renewal, approved July 30th 1992, is
illustrated on Chart 1.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to request Council's approval of the 1996-
1997 budgets for all five BIAs and to instruct staff to put forward the
appropriate by-laws to renew the Kerrisdale and Robson Street BIAs.
BACKGROUND
Funding for Business Improvement Areas is advanced by Council and
recovered through property taxes. Each year Council approves BIA
budgets and staff prepare rating by-laws for Council's enactment. After
the rating by-laws are enacted, funds are released to the BIA societies
in April and recovered through subsequent property taxes. The 1996-97
budgets for the five BIAs are presented in this report.
DOWNTOWN BIA BUSINESS PROMOTION SCHEME AND BUDGET 1996-97
The Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association (DVBIA) has
submitted the following business promotion scheme and budget for
Council's approval and has requested a recoverable grant of $500,000 for
1996-1997.
1. Retail Marketing and Promotion $150,102
2. Research 8,000
3. Commercial/Business Development 204,603
4. Communications 78,374
5. Office Expenses & Administrative Costs 134,725
Total Budget $575,804
Minus previous year's surplus,
interest, provincial grant 75,804
Total Levy Request $500,000
The business promotion scheme was approved by the majority of members
present at the annual general meeting held on September 29, 1995. The
BIA's audited financial report has been reviewed by City Staff. The
DVBIA has submitted a declaration that all property owners and business
owners eligible to be BIA members were duly notified of the annual
general meeting. Details of the budget are provided in Appendix C.
ROBSON STREET BIA FIVE YEAR RENEWAL AND 1996 - 97 BUDGET APPROVAL
On September 12, 1995 the Robson Street BIA held their annual general
meeting and obtained approval for a second five year mandate and their
1996-97 budget (Step One in the renewal process as illustrated in Chart
1). On September 26, 1995 Council agreed to renew the BIA (Step Two).
City Staff mailed information to all affected property owners and
business tenants, relaying how much the BIA levies would be, and their
right to file objections (Step Three). The Robson Street BIA's five
year funding ceiling for 1996-2001 was proposed at $1,292,500. After
reviewing the objections at the Court of Revision on November 16th,
1995, Council approved in principle the renewal of the Robson Street BIA
and instructed staff to put forward a designation by-law.
The final and fifth step in the renewal process is for Council to review
the proposed budget and to instruct staff to put forward the grant
allocation and rating by-laws (see Recommendations A and B). After by-
law enactment, the 1996-97 portion of the funds will be released to the
BIA.
For the first year of the new five year mandate, 1996-97 the Robson
Street Business Association (RSBA) has submitted the following business
promotion scheme and budget for Council's approval and has requested a
recoverable grant of $244,000:
1. Marketing, Promotions, P.R. $102,700
2. Street Enhancement 77,100
3. Office Expenses & Administrative Costs 73,200
Total Budget $253,000
Minus previous year's surplus and
interest income 9,000
Total Levy Request $244,000
The audited financial statements of the RSBA have been reviewed by City
staff. The RSBA has submitted a declaration that all property owners
and business owners eligible to become BIA members were duly notified of
the annual general meeting. Further details of the budget are provided
in Appendix D.
KERRISDALE BIA FIVE YEAR RENEWAL AND 1996-97 BUDGET
As with the Robson Street BIA, the Kerrisdale Business Association (KBA)
has proceeded through steps one to four of the renewal process with
Council's approval. The five year funding ceiling proposed by the KBA
is $669,000 (Recommendation C). For the first year, 1996-97, the
Kerrisdale Business Association (KBA) has submitted the following
business promotion scheme and budget for Council's approval and has
requested a recoverable grant of $129,000;
1. Marketing, Promotions, P.R. $ 61,000
2. Research, Beautification 35,000
3. Office Expenses & Administrative Costs 25,000
4. Contingency 8,000
Total Budget and Levy Request $129,000
The business promotion scheme was approved by the majority of members
present at the annual general meeting held on September 13th, 1995. The
audited financial statements of the KBA have been reviewed by City
staff. The KBA has submitted a declaration that all property owners and
business owners eligible to become BIA members were duly notified of the
annual general meeting. Further details of the budget are provided in
Appendix E.
GASTOWN BIA BUSINESS PROMOTION SCHEME AND BUDGET FOR 1996-97
The Gastown Business Improvement Society (GBIS) has submitted the
following business promotion scheme and budget for Council's approval
and has requested a recoverable grant of $247,000 for 1996-1997.
1. Marketing and Promotion, P.R. $ 79,000
2. Long Term Area Enhancement Programs 72,000
3. Salaries and Operating Expenses 86,000
4. Contingency 10,000
Total Levy Request $247,000
The business promotion scheme was approved by the majority of members
present at the annual general meeting held on October 25, 1995. The
BIA's audited financial report has been reviewed by City staff. The
GBIS has submitted a declaration that all property owners and business
owners eligible to the BIA members were duly notified of the annual
general meeting. Details of the budget are provided in Appendix F.
MOUNT PLEASANT BIA BUSINESS PROMOTION SCHEME & BUDGET FOR 1996-97
The Mount Pleasant Commercial Improvement Society (MPCIS) has submitted
the following business promotion scheme and budget for Council's
approval and has requested a recoverable grant of $84,000 for 1996-1997.
1. Area Promotions & Maintenance, Communications $40,000
2. Office Expenses 15,000
3. BIA Coordinator 29,000
Total Levy Request $84,000
The business promotion scheme was approved by the majority of members
present at the annual general meeting held on October 18, 1995. The
BIA's audited financial report has been reviewed by City staff. The
MPCIS has submitted a declaration that all property owners and business
owners eligible to the BIA members were fully notified of the annual
general meeting. Details of the budget are provided in Appendix G.
SUMMARY
This report proposes the re-designation and grant allocation by-laws for
the renewal of the Kerrisdale and Robson Street BIAs be prepared for
Council's enactment. In addition, the 1996-97 BIA budgets require
Council's approval.
All the BIAs have complied with the requirements set out in the City's
BIA Grant Allocation By-law and the City's operational guidelines (see
Appendices H and I). The proposed Business Promotion Schemes are in
keeping with the spirit of BIA legislation. Staff recommend approval of
the BIAs' 1996-1997 budgets.
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